systems and methods for endometrial ablation. The systems include a handle and elongated introducer sleeve extending to an expandable working end having a fluid-tight interior chamber. A thin dielectric wall surrounds at least a portion of the interior chamber and has an external surface for contacting endometrial tissue. The thin dielectric wall surrounds a collapsible-expandable frame and receives an electrically non-conductive gas. First and second polarity electrodes are exposed to the interior and exterior of the chamber, respectively. A radiofrequency power source operatively connects to the electrode arrangement to apply a radiofrequency voltage across the first and second electrodes, wherein the voltage is sufficient to initiate ionization of the neutral gas into a conductive plasma within the interior chamber, and to capacitively couple the current in the plasma across the thin dielectric wall to ablate endometrial tissue engaged by the external surface of the dielectric structure.
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1. A method for delivering radiofrequency current to endometrial tissue, comprising:
deploying an expandable triangular dielectric wall surrounding an interior chamber in a patient's uterus;
converting a neutral gas into an electrically conductive plasma;
containing the electrically conductive plasma in the interior chamber of the expandable triangular dielectric wall;
capacitively coupling a rf current through the plasma and across the dielectric wall into the endometrial tissue; and
exhausting the plasma from the interior chamber of the of the expandable triangular dielectric wall to the environment or to a containment system.
2. The method of
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The method of
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/975,139, filed Aug. 23, 2013, (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,998,901), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/605,929, (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,540,708), filed Oct. 26, 2009, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/541,043, (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,372,068), filed Aug. 13, 2009 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/541,050 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,382,753), filed on Aug. 13, 2009, which claim the benefit of Provisional Application No. 61/196,870, filed on Oct. 21, 2008, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrosurgical methods and devices for global endometrial ablation in a treatment of menorrhagia. More particularly, the present invention relates to applying radiofrequency current to endometrial tissue by means of capacitively coupling the current through an expandable, thin-wall dielectric member enclosing an ionized gas.
A variety of devices have been developed or proposed for endometrial ablation. Of relevance to the present invention, a variety of radiofrequency ablation devices have been proposed including solid electrodes, balloon electrodes, metallized fabric electrodes, and the like. While often effective, many of the prior electrode designs have suffered from one or more deficiencies, such as relatively slow treatment times, incomplete treatments, non-uniform ablation depths, and risk of injury to adjacent organs.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that allow for endometrial ablation using radiofrequency current which is rapid, provides for controlled ablation depth and which reduce the risk of injury to adjacent organs. At least some of these objectives will be met by the invention described herein.
2. Description of the Background Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,769,880; 6,296,639; 6,663,626; and 6,813,520 describe intrauterine ablation devices formed from a permeable mesh defining electrodes for the application of radiofrequency energy to ablate uterine tissue. U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,948 describes a balloon filled with an electrolyte solution for applying radiofrequency current to a mucosal layer via capacitive coupling. US 2008/097425, having common inventorship with the present application, describes delivering a pressurized flow of a liquid medium which carries a radiofrequency current to tissue, where the liquid is ignited into a plasma as it passes through flow orifices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,134 describes a radiofrequency heater within an enclosed balloon. U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,260 describes radiofrequency electrodes distributed over the exterior surface of a balloon which is inflated in a body cavity to be treated. U.S. Pat. No. 7,371,231 and US 2009/054892 describe a conductive balloon having an exterior surface which acts as an electrode for performing endometrial ablation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,883 describes bipolar heating of a medium within a balloon for thermal ablation. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,736,811 and 5,925,038 show an inflatable conductive electrode.
The present invention provides a systems and methods for endometrial ablation, which relate to method and apparatus disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/541,043; filed Aug. 13, 2009 (Atty. Docket No. 027980-000110US) and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/541,050 (Atty. Docket No. 027980-000120US) both filed on Aug. 13, 2009, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The systems for delivering radiofrequency current to tissue comprises a handle and elongated introducer sleeve extending to an expandable working end having a fluid-tight interior chamber. A thin dielectric wall surrounds at least a portion of the interior chamber and has an external surface for contacting endometrial tissue. The thin dielectric wall surrounds a collapsible-expandable frame. A gas inflow lumen and a gas outflow lumen are provided to communicate with the interior chamber for delivering a flow of an electrically non-conductive gas into and through the chamber. A first polarity electrode is provided which has a surface exposed to the interior chamber. A second polarity electrode exterior of the interior chamber is also provided that includes a surface adapted to contact body tissue. The system further includes a radiofrequency power source operatively connected to the electrode arrangement to apply a radiofrequency voltage across the first and second electrodes, wherein the voltage is sufficient to initiate ionization of the neutral gas into a conductive plasma within the interior chamber. The voltage further is sufficient to capacitively couple the current in the plasma across the thin dielectric wall and into endometrial tissue engaged by the external surface of the dielectric structure. The treatment method generally comprises delivering a radiofrequency current to endometrial tissue in order to heat and usually ablate the tissue to a desired depth, ranging from about 2 to 6 mm.
In one embodiment, the thin dielectric wall can comprise a conformable material, typically a silicone. A conformable dielectric wall can have a thickness in the range from about 0.005″ to 0.020″, usually from 0.008″ to 0.010″. The conformable wall may be non-distensible or may be elastic so that the wall structure may be expanded. For either non-distensible or elastic dielectric walls, the device may further comprise a frame which supports the conformable material, usually where the frame can be expanded and contracted to open and close the dielectric wall.
The hand-held device of the invention typically comprises a probe with an elongated introducer sleeve and a handle for actuating the collapsible-expandable frame to expand the thin dielectric wall in a uterine cavity. The introducer sleeve typically has a bore therein to house the thin-wall dielectric structure as the sleeve is introduced into the uterine cavity. The system further includes a controller for controlling the circulation of gas in a continuous flow through the interior chamber.
The radiofrequency power source is of the type used in electrosurgery, and will typically be configured to deliver a voltage in the range from 500 V (rms) to 2500 V (rms), usually from 600 V (rms) to 1200V (rms), typically at a current in the range from 0.1 A to 1 A, typically from 0.2 A to 0.5 A, and at a frequency in the range from 450 kHz to 550 kHz, usually from 480 kHz to 500 kHz.
The electrically non-conductive gas that is provided in a gas flow through the interior chamber can be provided from a disposable compressed gas cartridge. The flow rate of a non-conductive gas, such as argon, will typically be in the range from about 5 ml/sec to 50 ml/sec, preferably from 10 ml/sec to 30 ml/sec.
In accordance with embodiments, a method of endometrial ablation is provided, including expanding an expandable member in a patient uterus to contact endometrial tissue, the expandable member comprising a dielectric wall surrounding an interior chamber; containing a conductive plasma in the interior chamber of the expandable member; and applying a radiofrequency voltage across the plasma sufficient to capacitively couple current across the dielectric wall to ablate endometrial tissue.
In embodiments, containing the conductive plasma comprises converting a neutral gas into the conductive plasma. Converting the neutral gas into the conductive plasma may comprise applying the radiofrequency voltage across the neutral gas and providing a flow of the neutral gas to the interior chamber. Converting the neutral gas into the conductive plasma can include flowing at least one of the neutral gas and the plasma out of the interior chamber, as an example. The flow rate of the neutral gas may be, for example, within the range from 0.05 ml/sec to 50 ml/sec. The neutral gas may be a noble gas.
In embodiments, applying the radiofrequency voltage across the neutral gas may occur between a first electrode surface in the interior chamber and a second electrode surface external of the interior chamber.
In embodiments, expanding an expandable member comprises expanding the expandable member with a frame, the frame supporting at least a portion of the dielectric wall.
In embodiments, the method may comprise modulating RF energy delivery in response to a signal provided by a temperature sensor within the interior chamber. RF energy delivery may also be modulated based on a signal provided by a temperature sensor external of the interior chamber.
In further embodiments, a method of endometrial ablation is provided, including positioning a thin wall dielectric structure in a patient uterus to contact endometrial tissue; containing a conductive plasma in an interior chamber of the dielectric structure; and applying a radiofrequency voltage across the plasma sufficient to capacitively couple current across the dielectric wall to ablate endometrial tissue. The radiofrequency voltage may be sufficient to raise, for example, endometrial tissue to a temperature greater than 45 degrees Celsius for a time sufficient to ablate tissue to a depth of at least 1 mm.
In embodiments, applying voltage comprises providing a first electrode in the interior chamber and a second electrode coupled to patient tissue, and applying a voltage across the first and second electrodes.
In still more embodiments, a method of endometrial ablation is provided, comprising expanding a thin wall dielectric structure in a uterus to engage endometrial tissue; introducing an ionized gas into an interior chamber of the dielectric structure; and applying a radiofrequency voltage across the ionized gas sufficient to capacitively couple current across the dielectric wall to ablate endometrial tissue. Applying voltage may comprise providing a first electrode in the interior chamber and a second electrode coupled to patient tissue, and applying a radiofrequency voltage across the first and second electrodes. Introducing may comprise, for example, flowing an ionized gas into and out of the interior chamber.
In order to better understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, some preferred embodiments are next described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout similar embodiments in the attached drawings.
In general, an electrosurgical ablation system is described herein that comprises an elongated introducer member for accessing a patient's uterine cavity with a working end that deploys an expandable thin-wall dielectric structure containing an electrically non-conductive gas as a dielectric. In one embodiment, an interior chamber of the thin-wall dielectric structure contains a circulating neutral gas such as argon. An RF power source provides current that is coupled to the neutral gas flow by a first polarity electrode disposed within the interior chamber and a second polarity electrode at an exterior of the working end. The gas flow, which is converted to a conductive plasma by an electrode arrangement, functions as a switching mechanism that permits current flow to engaged endometrial tissue only when the voltage across the combination of the gas, the thin-wall dielectric structure and the engaged tissue reaches a threshold that causes capacitive coupling across the thin-wall dielectric material. By capacitively coupling current to tissue in this manner, the system provides a substantially uniform tissue effect within all tissue in contact with the expanded dielectric structure. Further, the invention allows the neutral gas to be created contemporaneously with the capacitive coupling of current to tissue.
In general, this disclosure may use the terms “plasma”, “conductive gas” and “ionized gas” interchangeably. A plasma consists of a state of matter in which electrons in a neutral gas are stripped or “ionized” from their molecules or atoms. Such plasmas can be formed by application of an electric field or by high temperatures. In a neutral gas, electrical conductivity is non-existent or very low. Neutral gases act as a dielectric or insulator until the electric field reaches a breakdown value, freeing the electrons from the atoms in an avalanche process thus forming a plasma. Such a plasma provides mobile electrons and positive ions, and acts as a conductor which supports electric currents and can form spark or arc. Due to their lower mass, the electrons in a plasma accelerate more quickly in response to an electric field than the heavier positive ions, and hence carry the bulk of the current.
Referring to
In an embodiment, an expandable-collapsible frame assembly 155 is disposed in the interior chamber. Alternatively, the dielectric structure may be expanded by a neutral gas without a frame, but using a frame offers a number of advantages. First, the uterine cavity is flattened with the opposing walls in contact with one another. Expanding a balloon-type member may cause undesirable pain or spasms. For this reason, a flat structure that is expanded by a frame is better suited for deployment in the uterine cavity. Second, in embodiments herein, the neutral gas is converted to a conductive plasma at a very low pressure controlled by gas inflows and gas outflows—so that any pressurization of a balloon-type member with the neutral gas may exceed a desired pressure range and would require complex controls of gas inflows and gas outflows. Third, as described below, the frame provides an electrode for contact with the neutral gas in the interior chamber 152 of the dielectric structure 150, and the frame 155 extends into all regions of the interior chamber to insure electrode exposure to all regions of the neutral gas and plasma. The frame 155 can be constructed of any flexible material with at least portions of the frame functioning as spring elements to move the thin-wall structure 150 from a collapsed configuration (
As will be described further below, the bore 175 in sleeve 115 and bore 180 in secondary translatable sleeve 170 function as gas outflow and gas inflow lumens, respectively. It should be appreciated that the gas inflow lumen can comprise any single lumen or plurality of lumens in either sleeve 115 or sleeve 170 or another sleeve, or other parts of the frame 155 or the at least one gas flow lumen can be formed into a wall of dielectric structure 150. In
It can be understood from
As will be described below, the working end embodiment of
In one embodiment, the gas inflow source 140A comprises one or more compressed gas cartridges that communicate with flexible conduit 136 through plug-in connector 137 and receiving connector 138 in the control unit 135 (
Now turning to the electrosurgical aspects of the invention,
Referring back to
The box diagrams of
More in particular,
In another embodiment, the system can include an electrode arrangement in the handle 106 or within the gas inflow channel to pre-ionize the neutral gas flow before it reaches the interior chamber 152. For example, the gas inflow channel can be configured with axially or radially spaced apart opposing polarity electrodes configured to ionize the gas inflow. Such electrodes would be connected in separate circuitry to an RF source. The first and second electrodes 215 (+) and 220 (−) described above would operate as described above to provide the current that is capacitively coupled to tissue through the walls of the dielectric structure 150. In all other respects, the system and method would function as described above.
Now turning to
Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, it will be understood that this description is merely for purposes of illustration and the above description of the invention is not exhaustive. Specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, and this is for convenience only and any feature may be combined with another in accordance with the invention. A number of variations and alternatives will be apparent to one having ordinary skills in the art. Such alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims. Particular features that are presented in dependent claims can be combined and fall within the scope of the invention. The invention also encompasses embodiments as if dependent claims were alternatively written in a multiple dependent claim format with reference to other independent claims.
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